New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-12
VETO OF THE PENSION BILL
A LONG DOCUMENT FROM MR.. CLEVELAND.
THE MEASURE LOOSELY DRAWN, COSTLY AND
WOULD ENCOURAGE MENDACIrY.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO Tue rRInuNE.l

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The veto of the De.
pendent Pensions bill was not unexpected When
it reached the House late this afternoon the re.
quest that it be at once read was acceded to on
oil sides and the reading was listened to with
silent attention. When the Clerk had concluded
Chairman Matson Of the Invalid Pensions Com
mittee and moved the reference of the bill
and message DO his committee, promising at tho
same time that it should be brought back for
the action Of the House before the end Of next
week. The motion was NOT opposed The bill
which the President has vetoed designed by
Its trainers to benefit the dependent parents OF
deceased soldiers, whether they were dependent
upon the soldier before his death or not, and to
give pensions at the rate Of SIC per month to
cx-sOldiers who objects Of charity and
unable to gain support from their labor on ac-
count Of disability, even II such disability was
not contracted i'm the military service. provided
10 Is not due to their own carclessness vicious
habits. The phraseOlogy Of the measure was de-
vised by Chairman Matson, the Democratic Chair
man Of the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Tho
bill rassed the House on January II, under
suspension Of the rules by vote Of $50 to 70.
All the negative votes were cast by Democrats.
while ia Republicans and Sc Democrats were
recorded in the affirmative. The veto message
was sent in late in the afternoon. and members
until they shall have an opportunity to read 10
for themselves. On two points, however.
there is free expression of opinion In the
first place the tone of the message is charac-
terized as one of indifference il not Of lily
concealed hostility to the claims Of deserving
soldiers Of the Union. In the second place the
Presidents references to pensioners and PENSION
claimants are regarded little, il at all, short
of brutal and insulting. There may be some men
on the pension rolls who got there by false swear
ing, but as rule the disabled pensioners OF tho
Union truthful, honest and patriotic az
Grover Cleveland himself. More careful study Of
this part OF the message may relieve the Prcsi-
dent to some extent of the criticism that in order
to Justify his disapprOval Of the pending bill
he was willing to charge even by inference that
pcnsoners and pension claimants rule ara
ready to be the active and willing tools OF dis
honest claim agents.
The President. after announcing his return OF
the measure without his approval. goes on to say;
This is the first has been sanctioned BY the
3 ss y Sd Ms IN hs var
upon the and present disability alone and
Il tie. the CT
since e S".s Sd ni War rv r as
81 ssiHn msry swa.sr srss in v ;s t%"n
s % Of :r S' a 1 sss
n"w DFSs Sssn a's at TO
ciple thus far adhered 20 resprcnS ohon % tns way
OF pensions generously bestowed when rantel to those
who i'm this service anil In the line OF military duty,
have 10 greater extent been disabled But isa
| mlstike suppose that service pensions sun
a. are permitted by the second section Of the bill
under consideration new to our legiss,iSn. a Su.
have been Of nensons and the
expen that purpose from 1901 10 Juy iooo'
| Is SsOS62@ Sll 6l. - o.. .u.t...
While paying such vast sum for pens ons
X. .ssrs S usf q 1. %.s;
IN which the United been enRagei incudng0 0
ure the the Rebellion. and 10 pay those entitsdto
| bene Of
So ar as relates the soldiers OF the late cy war no
bounty l. given thirteen yelrs earlier Than
las been furnished soiers af other war AMI he
fore large It's benefciares have adv need in ago
6ryond the Of the O lie. " eNacts
only military service OF three months without any
of with IN battle.
ana suhecton TO ny o the acna DANCERS OF war
awards is allowed TO enlisted men WHO iavo
least injury disability loss or DANA 81 any
degree rrrralle To their mlttry
service nru hing who hed the front az all
discharged from sniezvous at the close o the war,
II three months after enlistment tnicr the st
call of the President troops In Dcember loof llso3
| men were furnished WHO thus discharged